H.S. SOCCER: Marshfield boys playing the waiting game

Tuesday

The Marshfield High boys soccer has spent most of its season playing the waiting game.

Thanks to two postponements, the Rams had only played three games entering Monday’s game at Sandwich. A slow September means the Rams will be plenty busy in October, playing 12 games from Oct. 4-30.

“It’s unlike any season high school season I’ve coached,” said Marshfield coach Paul Turner. “It’s really, really tough. (We started) 0-2 but we could (have been) 2-0. I think we’ve been the better team in both games.”

Marshfield opened the season with a 1-0 loss at Barnstable on Sept. 9. On Sept. 15, the Rams (0-3) fell to Cohasset, 3-1. On Friday, Marshfield fell to Nauset, 4-0. Turner said Nauset is the best high school soccer team he’s ever seen.

“We’re playing three (games) a week for the next four or five weeks,” said Turner. “It’s high school soccer, it’s what you deal with. I have to be smart with how we train and practice in between games. There’s a really, really good spirit in the camp. Everyone is positive, everyone is really keen to learning.”

Marshfield will rely on a technical, possession-based attack this fall due to a lack of elite finishers and athleticism.

“We’re not a very athletic team, we’re not very big,” said Turner. “We don’t have a bunch of really, really good athletes, which with high school soccer can be difficult. We’re countering by playing soccer and wanting to possess the ball. Technically, I think we’re better than most high schools. It’s just athletically is where we’re going to struggle a little bit.

“We don’t have a natural goal-scorer. In both of the first two games, we probably possessed 60-70% of the ball but we haven’t really created enough good scoring opportunities. That’s always tough to overcome. A good side puts teams away when they’re on top and we’re not doing that so that’s something we have to try to overcome.”

Junior Sam Wheeler scored Marshfield’s goal against Cohasset.

Sophomore Colby Webber returns in net.

“He started pretty much every game as a freshman and he had a good freshman year last year,” said Turner of Webber. “The experience really served him well so I’m expecting a big season out of him.”

Seniors Anthony Fonseca and Brock Pease are the captains. Pease missed most of last season with a broken arm.

Junior Noah Kaiser returns after a solid sophomore season. Declan Murphy is a senior on the varsity squad for the third year.

“He was the best player on the field against Barnstable in our first game,” said Turner of Murphy.

Sophomores Justin Petrillo, Max Heberlein and James Hirschfield will all get major minutes.

“There’s a core of experienced varsity players,” said Turner.

Sophomore Jake Lesperance could factor in at the striker role.

“I’m still not sure who is going to play that No. 9 role, the forward role,” said Turner. “That’s our issue. We don’t have someone that you know is guaranteeing you like 8, 10 or 12 goals this season so I think it’s going to have to come from a collective effort. We’re going to have to get goals from a number of different places.”

The Rams host Silver Lake on Wednesday at 7 p.m. and travels to Falmouth on Friday at 4 p.m.

“We’re going to work and work and work and I think there’s a really good chemistry in the team,” said Turner. “The boys care about each other and they care about the program. Hopefully that will transfer over into game time.”